The Vengeful One
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: Betrayed. Dishonored. Forsaken. I still don't understand it. What did I do wrong? Why was I sent here? Exiled for a crime I don't remember, banished for a deed I can't recall, and left to wander alone. Maybe I am cursed. Maybe I am a sinner. Maybe I deserve this. But even so, that doesn't mean I'll go quietly. I Am the Vengeful One. Narutoxharem? Pairing undecided. Be sure to vote!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: WARNING! THIS CHAPTER GETS BLOODY AND VIOLENT! IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, LEAVE NOW! Speaking of blood, I'm off to a dentist appointment after this to get a cavity taken care of.**

 **FUN TIMES!**

 **D=**

 **Anyhow, VIVA LA REQUEST YEARS! Well, this was bound to happen sooner or later. When this request came down the pipeline, I had no idea what Seven Deadly Sins was. Then I saw the anime and oh MY GOD where has this anime been hiding?! And then when I saw the complete and utter LACK of stories in the genre, I decided to take up my pen and get to work. To the request giver, I sincerely hope this measures up to your standards!**

 **Also!**

 **One of my hecklers has continued to harass me! I got ANOTHER nastygram today in my own personal email-my mistake for putting it up there in the first place-from this nasty fellow:**

 **His name is Tim Lofar:**

 _His email is gogharambe720 on gmail._

 **I'm not kidding.**

 **He keeps spamming my fics with senseless hate, saying I deserve to die!**

 **He keeps creating new accounts to attack and harass me, and so too, do I keep blocking them. Trust me, you can tell who he is by the the threats. His most recent one was, _GoFarRoboMonk_ and he made a few hours ago as of the time that I am writing this. On every account he blocks the Private Message feature so no one can get to him. IT! IS! INFURIATING! I don't know what I did to upset this guy but he just keeps slinging hate and death threats at me!**

 **What's the deal with this guy?!**

 **Someone please give him what for, will you?**

 **Anywho, off we go!**

 **See, I was torn between where to start this. I had plans for him to wake up in the city of Liones and mess around with the Holy Knights for a bit. Maybe even pair up with somebody before the main storyline started and all. But as you can see, that idea didn't work out.**

 **Maybe I'll try something in that setting, but for now...**

 **...OFF WE GO! Also, minor cosmetic differences for one character here.**

 **I hope this chapter leaves you all wanting more~!**

 _"Look, I'm really grumpy right now, so I'll only say this once. Leave her alone."_

 _"Or what?_

 _"Or you get to see my angry face."_

 _...what kind of retort is..._

 _THUD._

 _~?_

 **Sinner**

 _This a tale of humans and beings from other worlds. It is a story of ancient times. The Holy Knights who protected this country wielded immensely powerful magic. They were both feared and revered. However, a faction arose who betrayed their country and turn their blades against the remaining Knights._

 _To the masses, they were known as the "Seven Deadly Sins."_

 _Its a fine story._

 _A lie of course, but still, a good one._

 _In my experience these guys aren't bad; far from it!_

 _They're actually really nice people once you get past their faults and flaws. I mean, don't we all have those? Sure, some of them are a little crazy but I like to think its a **good** kind of crazy, ya know? Meeting them gave my life purpose again. Direction, if you could call it that. These so-called "Sins" show mercy where the vaunted Holy Knights do not. They are kind, when so many of them can be cruel. No, if these people are the villains then I'll happily call myself a bad guy, too!_

 _As to how I got here, well, now..._

 _No such grand story for me._

 _No screwed up seal._

 _No flash of light._

 _No teleporting._

 _I simply..._

 _...woke up._

* * *

 _(...?...)_

* * *

"Ha?"

Blue eyes drifted open with a slow, jaw-popping yawn, bleary azure orbs blinking blearily before an expanse of white light. It took their own a full thirty seconds to realize that this was the sun, and he wasn't in heaven. And why should he be? He didn't remember dying. He didn't remember fighting either. And he _certainly_ didn't recall falling asleep out in the middle of nowhere. Hmm. Now that was just odd. When he tried to think back to what might have led him here he found a suspicious blank spot in the annals of his memories.

Come to think of it, he didn't remember much of anything, actually.

Sitting up, he found his mind already venturing elsewhere.

A great green plain stretched out before him, rolling hills and long blades of grass eventually bisected by a narrow road to the east. It was a fine day to be outside indeed; the sun was shining, the birds chirping, and all seemed to well and good with the world. Of course, the scenery did nothing to ease his pounding headache. As if someone had shoved a spike into his skull and left it there to rot.

In short, painful.

Very painful.

"Owowowow," he muttered crossly, rubbing at his aching forehead. "My head! What the hell happened? Where am I?" The last thing he remembered was throwing himself into bed after a long mission...and now this. If this was a precursor to some sick joke, he wasn't getting the punchline. He'd deliberately avoided going drinking with Kiba and the others because of incidents like this, but something told him that this went beyond that. A jagged pain in his ribs reminded him that he'd been wounded at some point, his clothing left in tatters by some unknown attack.

That, and something was poked him in the side through his mangled jacket.

"Hmm?" Naruto blinked, extricating a small object. "A scroll?"

Upon unfurling it, his eyes widened explosively.

"EH?!"

 _Naruto,_

 _I'm sorry, but this was the only way. You had to be stopped. You were out of control. It was either this, or kill you. I hope, wherever you are, that you can find it in your heart to forgive me._

 _Until we meet again,_

 _~Sasuke._

"Stopped...?"

A pit of dread opened in the ninja's stomach but when he tried to reach for the memory it eeled through his fingers, slippery and elusive. There were no memories. No recollection of how or why he'd come to be here. It simply escaped him. There was only darkness. A blank space coupled with a vague sense of unease and anxiety. As though someone had simply reached inside his head and snipped away something. Something terribly important. The more he thought about it, the worse it became. It was all falling apart. A swirling current threatening to drag

"Hey, hey, HEY! WHAT THE HELL?!" the words tumbled out of him with a start, the scroll tumbling out of his hands as they snapped up to shred the parchment to pieces. "It was this or kill me?! J-Just what the hell did I do, oi? What the hell kind of joke is this?! This seriously isn't funny, ya know! Making it sound like I killed people! I don't do that! Or did I? AAAGH!" his hands clawed madly at the grass, "So frustrating!"

 _THOOM!_

A terrible quake interjected itself into his raving, rattling his world to the core.

Blue eyes snapped open and swerved to the distant road, just now noticing a plume of dust rising from it. As if someone or something had struck the ground with incredible force, so too did he hear a distant shout and the sounds of a scuffle. He was up and moving towards the ruckus almost before he was consciously aware of it.

"How dare you!" someone was shouting as he drew nearer.

"That's what you get for drawing your sword against such a beautiful girl!" a female voice interjected.

"Like hell you're beautiful!"

"Fucking giant!"

"Go back to your homeland, oi!"

"There are no men and women for monsters like you!"

By now he'd drawn near enough to

Five men in ramshackle armor and...

...and...

...well, now.

 _Hello, there!_

Azure orbs beheld a fair maiden with bright purple eyes and chestnut brown hair tied up into large twin tails, struggling not to linger over her particularly well-developed and curvaceous body. Her attire consisted of a short-sleeved one-piece orange suit, boots with crossed laces extending almost up to her knees, and two fingerless gauntlets of blue-grey leathery material covered in shiny steel studs. All told, her appearance didn't rattle him in the least. He was a shinobi, after all, he'd seen far stranger creatures and gods in his day.

There was just one thing that stumped him.

"Whoa! She's _huge!"_

Apparently he'd come close enough to catch the men's attention; because one turned in his direction, his rakish face etched into a scowl.

"Oi, who are you, freak?!"

For a fleeting moment, Naruto actually considering walking away. Clearly these men were of no threat to him, much less the giant girl towering over them all. But just as he was about to do so, a thorn of pride pricked him and held him back. Just now...someone had insulted him. Ordinarily he could tolerate all manner of jab, yet somehow this particular word riled him for some reason.

Freak, eh?

"Well," he managed through clenched teeth, "I'm just a humble passerby. Why don't we let bygones be bygones and-

Alas, it was not to be.

"Look at this!" one of them cried. "The freak's trying to protect the giant!"

"No, no, no," he argued, "I'm trying to keep you idiots from dying."

"You're the one that'll die today, you freak!"

Naruto uttered a jaw-popping yawn.

 _'People all day today..._

He heard rather than saw the men encircle him, studiously avoiding eye contact as he was. At this proximity they reeked of cheap liquor and other, unpleasant odors which led him in turn to wonder if these really were the knights he claimed. And why did they keep calling him a freak, oi?! He was quite normal thank you very much! Still, something in him was compelled to extend the olive brand once more. He didn't have to start the fight he told himself, there really was no need for it. Or so he told himself.

"C'mon now, you're being unreasonable...

"Don't you know who we are?!" a sword forced itself up under his jaw, cutting him off. "We're Knights of the Golden Wheats! You're the one whose at fault here, freak...hey..what?" In disbelief he looked on, trembling as a scarred hand locked around his sword and forced it down, away from his jugular. The edge did not cut, nay it didn't even impede upon his flesh at all, despite his attempts to hold it steady. Still, the iron vice forced the sword low, lower, then lowest still, until Naruto was physically holding it at his side.

Blue eyes rose.

Ponderously.

Slowly.

"Call me a freak." he whispered. "One more time."

 _"Freak!"_

That did it.

Something snapped inside him.

"Knights my ass!" With a roar he ripped the sword free and cast it aside. His fee hand shot out like a coiled whip, seizing the nearest man by the scruff of his neck and dragging him close. "Knights don't gang up on a defenseless girl and start threatening people, _ORAH!"_ this last word came punctuated by a vicious headbutt to the man's forehead. Not enough to really hurt him, but more than satisfactory to knock him out. Imagine his surprise then, when the man's eyes rolled up in his head and he toppled over like a broken domino, gurgling and bleeding heavily. Huh? He hadn't him him that hard. Had he? He could've sworn he'd held back just now...

"Hey, he got Bert! " One of his remaining comrades, a portly looking fellow, thrust a finger at him in blatant accusation. "I think he killed him!"

Naruto clicked his teeth in annoyance.

 _'Did I? And why don't I feel guilty..._

Frowning, he shook the thought away.

"Look, I'm really grumpy right now, so I'll only say this once more. Leave and I'll forget this happened. Or...

"Or what?

Blue eyes gleamed red.

 _"Or you get to see my angry face."_

...what kind of retort is...

 _THUD._

The knight's words found themselves cut brutally short as clenched knuckles thundered into the side of his face. Naruto hadn't moved. His _clone,_ however, certainly had. In the time it took the man to blink, the sly copy circled him and delivered another roundhouse to his jaw, knocking him senseless. Instead something cracked and the man's head lolled awkwardly to one side, his neck broken. Naruto drew back in quiet disbelief, mildly disturbed by the actions of his clone-no, it was as if he himself had dealt the final blow.

 _'What's going on here?'_ frowning, he cast a glance to his hand. _'I just killed two people without even-_

"You let your guard down, freak!"

A distant part of him became aware of one of the remaining knights then; in that instant something ugly in him reared its head.

"No." He muttered. "You did."

Instead of skewering him through the chest as its owner no doubt intended, the sword found itself shattered against an upturned arm, breaking like so much glass before the rigid limb. He had a fleeting instant to see-to savor-the man's confusion, then his hand snaked out, closing around the man's fell face and levering him into the ground. Something went crunch. When he looked down, he found himself holding the ruined remains of what had once been a head. Again, there came the niggling sensation that he'd done something wrong, but he couldn't bring himself to understand what.

Two knights remained now, and of their number, one idiot took it into his head to rush forward like the last.

"You monster! How dare you kill my comrades!"

"Hey, they started this fiasco! Not me!"

Summoning a Rasengan to his palm,, he stood.

And he swung.

Just a bit.

"Eh?" he blinked, staring at the blood on the ground. "That's it? You're fucking fragile, oi."

The so-called knight gathered himself to reply-

Wait. Wait, wait, _waitwaitwaitwait._

Why _couldn't_ he feel his arm?

The knight blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

A grand total of three blinks passed, before he realized his sword arm wasn't simply _missing;_ it was gone. Ending in a truncated stump still spurting streamers of blood, the limb ended just below the elbow. He stared at for a long, terrifying eternity, struggling to move muscles that no longer existed. Nothing. All he received was a mute twitch from the ravaged appendage. It was then that the true severity of his wound finally hit him, agony upon agony clamping down on all thoughts, mind going white.

Oh.

Well.

That hurt.

Actually, that _really_ hurt.

A lot.

Screaming, he tumbled backwards, clutching at the ruined limb.

"Oi, now!" the blond raised his arms, leering at his most recent victim. "What's wrong?! Lower life forms such as yourselves should be grateful that I'm taking time out of my day for you!" Thus growling, he took ahold of the man's bloodied uniform, dragging him upright. "Come now!" he roared in the man's face! "Stand up! Finish what you started, you pitiful piece of trash!"

His own words reached him a heartbeat later.

 _'Wait, trash? Lower...life forms...?'_

Frowning, he dropped him.

Naruto had trouble understanding it himself. He'd never enjoyed fighting before. Cursing, even less. But here...now...he felt giddy. Excited, even. This is wrong, a small voice gibbered madly in the back of his head. Wrong, wrong, wrong! He shouldn't be enjoying this. He didn't like to hurt. And yet he found himself grinning, laughing even as the men shrank back. Reveling in their fear. It was a frightening thought, one quickly swept away by the roiling current of glee in his head, dragging common sense to the bottom. Yes, of course they were lower life forms!

They had the nerve to provoke him, after all!

"W-W-What kind of magic is that?!" Of the knights only one remained uninjured, and judging by the rank stink of ammonia in the air the man appeared to have soiled himself. Good. Let him remember this day. Let him be filled with fear each time he dared to pick up a sword, whenever he thought to threaten or harass someone; to use his rank to abuse another. Better to leave him and the other one alive, then. As strangely satisfying as killing them might be, Naruto found he preferred letting them live to be far more fruitful.

For their despair, that is.

"Magic?" Mustering the most menacing smile he could, the blond tilted his head and loosed a tiny modicum of killing intent. "No idea what you're talking about. But if you don't want to end up like your friends...

 _ **"GET."**_

They got.

"I-I'll remember this!" the leader squawked, clutching at his bloodied companion, "You'll see!"

Naruto didn't deign to answer.

Instead he faithfully watched the rapidly retreating figures until they were gone from the road. He suspected the man with the arm wound wouldn't live through the night. The cut had been deep and jagged, and nicked a vein. As he'd suspected, the rasengan really was a nasty thing to use on poeple.

Still, he felt next to nothing for it, only the faintest sensation of guilt.

 _'Okay, just what the hell is happening to me...?'_

Only then did he remember why he'd interfered in the first place. Even then, it took a full three seconds before his strange bloodlust abated and he found himself the master of his self once more. What the hell was that, anyway? He'd never lost control of himself like that before. Even in his earliest days back when he was grappling with Kuama, he'd never gone out of his way to deliberately be violent and cruel to another human being. And yet he'd just singlehandedly butchered a lot of them. Worse, he'd enjoyed it!

"Um...?"

"Sorry about that." turning, he flashed a small smile at the towering giant still standing behind him. "You weren't scared, were ya?"

She gazed down at him for a long moment, absently twirling one of her pigtails.

Then, to his surprise, she blushed.

"Diane."

"Ha?" Naruto blinked.

"I'm Diane." the brunette repeated quietly, twisting a pigtail as if to hide her face behind it, "Who are you?"

In that instant _-nay that brief sliver of eternity-_ all manner of simple greetings flitted through Naruto's mind. As did a well's worth of questions. Where was he? What was all this talk about magic and knights and the like? Why were there giants here? What he done to land himself here? Why was he so damn _angry?_

Alas, in the end, his mind only came up with the obvious.

"Osu!" he saluted, grinning. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki! Nice ta meetcha!"

Diane blinked.

"Naruto?"

"That'd be my name."

"Sounds funny." she snickered.

"Oi!"

"So, Naruto...why do you have a horn?"

A beat of silence passed.

"Horn?"

Naruto blinked, hesitantly reaching up to his head. Sure enough something sharp and red greeted his hand, jutting out of the right side of his hair. Unable to believe what he felt, he gave it another poke. Then another. And another still. _Check again,_ his brain seemed to say as he poked at the protruding object. _We are!_ his hands wailed! _Its real!_ With that, a piece of the puzzle clicked into place. But with it came still more questions, a flood of confusion he found himself powerless to resist.

Oh.

Oh hell.

Oh bloody fucking hell!

His memories might be jagged and broken, but even _he_ remembered enough of his past to recall who'd had a horn like this.

Well.

Well, well, well!

This was going to end badly.

It felt like one of Kaguya's horns.

"Are you okay?" Diane inquired, curious.

For a jagged heartbeat, Naruto found he couldn't speak, couldn't bring himself to reply. Nay, though his mouth worked wordlessly no sound would emerge, no syllables would come to his lips. Comical tears gathered in his eyes, welling up and spilling over the edges in a fitful display of dismay. In the end, all he managed was a strangled squeak. With that, his voice came rushing back all at once.

Then he cried unto the heavens:

 _"SUCH MISFORTUNE~!"_

 **A/N: TA-DA! VOTE FOR PAIRINGS! Naruto in the world of Seven Deadly Sins! How did he get here, you ask? Well, I wonder about that...**

 **And there we are. Should be fun to see what kind of hijinks he gets up to, no? To be clear, this is Naruto in his PRIME. After his last brawl with Sasuke but before "Naruto: the Last" movie and such. Ergo, he's viciously powerful, and not a pushover by any means. He's still very much himself, however, and as such wholly intolerant of those who take pleasure in tormenting the weak, so it ought to be amusing to see where this goes.**

 **As to pairings...hmm...Merlin...Guila...or, lets see...**

 **So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

 **...Review...**

 **...Would You Kindly?**

 **And of course enjoy the previews! Guess who pops up next chapter...?**

 **(Previews!)**

 _"I don't want to turn into that bitch," Naruto muttered, chewing on his fingernail. "I don't! But I can't remember how this all happened..._

 _Diane's massive hand patted his head._

 _"There, there..._

 _"Hey, I don't think it looks THAT bad,"_ _Meliodas beamed. "I mean, at least it matches-_

 _Naruto turned sad, dead eyes on him._

 _"Alright, alright! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings!"_

* * *

 _A beat of silence passed._

 _"Villain?" Naruto frowned, golden flames flickering around him. "Me?" He stood slowly, woodenly, absently spitting out a tooth. "I don't know about that, but you...you're willing to let innocents die. You might think that is right, yet even so..._

 _As he looked on, the golden shroud burned black._

 _...ev **en** **so...**_

 _Hendrickson frowned._

 _"What kind of aura is this...?!"_

 ** _...I DON'T FUCKING LIKE YOUR ATTITUDE!"_**

* * *

 _"Oho~!"_

 _A hand hefted the sword from the stone, grinning._

 _"I like this sword. Think I'll keep it!"_

 **R &R~!**


	2. What is a Sin?

**A/N: ALL ABOARD THE NARUTOXDIANE SHIP! Okay, so this chapter ended up being way longer than I originally intended it to be because just about everyone wanted this to be part of the pairings and such. Oh, and** **HOLY CRAP! THIS STORY IS ALREADY THE MOST REVIEWED FIC IN THE NARUTOXSEVEN DEADLY SINS CROSSOVER SECTION! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!**

 **Anyhow, VIVA LA REQUEST YEARS!**

 **Well, this was bound to happen sooner or later. When this request came down the pipeline, I had no idea what Seven Deadly Sins was. Then I saw the anime and oh MY GOD where has this anime been hiding?! And then when I saw the complete and utter LACK of stories in the genre, I decided to take up my pen and get to work. To the request giver, I sincerely hope this measures up to your standards!**

 **Now for your questions! There were many, and I'm happy to answer 'em!**

 **Q: Why isn't Elizabeth in the pairing? And what of the others?  
**

 _ **A: What heresy do you speak?! MeliodasxElizabeth is one of my all-time favorite pairings and is CRUCIAL to the story itself. She's his reason for living, after all. Now, t** **here may be some wiggle room concerning the others, but those two deserve one another. I'll never ever thrust someone between them like that. As for King, well, in my mind, it was foolish of him to erase poor Diane's memories in the first place, and now that they've been erased again he's only JUST NOW trying to remedy the situation. If Diane chooses him in the manga that's dandy, but here...well, sorry, pal!**_

 _ **On another note**_ _ **BanxElaine stays, because those two are ADORABLE together and have met LONG before Naruto found himself here. Everyone else? Fair game.**_

 **Q: So what is Naruto dealing with here, exactly?**

 _ **A: Guess I didn't make it clear enough. Somehow, someway, when Kaguya was sealed, she infected Naruto with a portion of her "self" as it were. She's a spiteful woman by all accounts, so many could easily see her doing this. By the time of this story that tiny portion of her "soul" has so intrinsically bonded with Naruto by now that he's a danger to others and himself. In short, as you all saw last chapter, he tends to lose himself when he gets overly excited, sometimes with disastrous results, i.e. not knowing his own strength, hitting too hard, getting violent and aggressive.**_

 **Plus she pretty much wants him dead, so...**

 **Q: Wait a second! Kaguya's horn, right? So is it red? Always thought brown was an ugly color for her.**

 _ **A: Yes, the horn is red, and its obvious as heck to anyone looking that he isn't human. He's TECHNICALLY by Seven Deadly Sins standards, part god at this point. Not omnipotent by any means but he's definitely a heavy hitter. Although given Kaguya's nastiness and what we've seen of the Goddess clan as a whole thus far, I'm not sure which is worse...**_

 **Q: What is Naruto's sin? What did he do to get exiled? Is he going to be a part of the Seven Deadly Sins?**

 ** _A: Well, if I told you that now, I'd spoil the story wouldn't it? As to wondering if he'll be a part of the Sins, I'd say yes, on a tentative basis. Can't go with the Fox's sin since Ban's got that. So I ran a poll and the highest results were "Wolf", "Monkey", and "Panther" of all things. Needless to say, "Wolf" ended up winning. The Sin's name was eventually chosen as "Despair" So its the Wolf's Sin of Despair because he massacred those knights and scared the crap out of the survivors. Thank you all for PMing!_ **

_**Funny thing, though, Naruto CHOSE that sin for himself, because when he loses it, he tends to cause despair, even if it TECHNICALLY isn't a sin. But he chose to brand himself deliberately. Take it for what you will, but to him, its a sign of comraderiere with others.**_

 **Q: Any chance you could do a gender-bend for Ban? I've never seen one before.**

 _ **A: EH? In another story but not this one, I think. It'd be too confusing.**_

 **Q: How strong would Naruto be compared to the Ten Commandments?**

 _ **A: Do you mean his base power level atm? Its Quite strong, but he can't take them all by himself. I don't think anyone can. Rest assured, he WILL encounter them and he's going to fight like hell when he does. Some of those bastards are an annoyance at worst but they're all CRUEL. Can anyone imagine Naruto, Escanor AND Meliodas ganging up on 'em? That'd be a fight to remember.**_

 **Now then, onto the next chapter! Naruto and Diane get to spend some time together in this one and we learn that not all is as it seems...**

 **I hope this chapter leaves you all wanting more~!**

 _"People like you..._

 _"Ha?"_

 ** _...DESERVE DESPAIR!"_**

 _~the Sin of Despair._

 **What is a Sin?**

Diane was walking on air.

With every step she took her heart soared to new heights, giddy with fresh delight. And why shouldn't it be? Things were looking up! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and she was alive. So very, very _alive!_ A light laugh escaped her lips as she bounded forward, skipping down the road without a care in the world. What a day to be alive indeed! She'd never been one to take life for granted, but now she found that she truly did appreciate it that much more, if only because

She'd finally found something!

Somewhere to belong!

 _Someone!_

A friend!

Someone who wasn't afraid of her in the least. Someone who treated her not as a giant, but as a girl. As a person. An individual. Someone who didn't hesitate to dirty their hands for her in a heartbeat. Someone who wasn't intimidated by her raw strength and towering height, someone who saw her for her. Of course, it also helped that said _someone_ was kind enough to treat her to a hearty meal of roast Sword Wolf after days of near starvation-but that didn't matter! Not a bit! In fact, it only made her adore him that much more!

And even if it was only one person right now, that person was willingly following her home.

She didn't mind his strange inquiries in the least; on the contrary, the brunette found herself all too eager to answer each of them in turn. She'd quickly come to the conclusion that Naruto wasn't from Brittania at all, he didn't know any landmarks and seemed even more lost here than she was, if such a thing were even possible. Worse still, he seemed to have lost most of his memories. Diane empathized with that as well. She knew all too well what it was like to have a gap in your mind. He'd seemed a bit depressed about that. But still, they'd shared a meal together and that left her in high spirits.

"Ehehehe," the giantess giggled softly to herself, idly twirling one braid around her finger. "This is great! I'm so lucky~!"

"You seem to be in awfully good mood...

Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Diane spun to face her companion, walking backwards with ease.

"Of course I am!" she chirruped happily. "That's because you're here!"

Naruto's face was a study of contrasts, torn somewhere between confusion and quiet pleasure.

"Because I'm...here?" he asked.

"Mm-hmm!"

The wayward blond had suffered something of a change in attire since they'd set out, having filched bits of clothing from one of the fallen knights to replace the torn rags he'd arrived in. Once he'd washed the blood away it even seemed to suit him. Although he didn't seem entirely pleased with the lack of orange. Diane sympathized. He'd looked rather dashing in his orange-black jacket, even if it had been a shredded mess. At least he'd been able to salvage the trousers, despite the tears...

Naruto laughed and Diane colored anew, realizing she'd been caught staring.

"Well, if you say so."

"So?" he sighed, dusting himself off. "Why did those idiots pick a fight with you anyway?"

Magenta eyes narrowed.

"They said ugly giant's like me had to pay a tax in order to use their roads." Diane sniffed, scowling at the unpleasant memory. "Jerks."

"Ha? Why would they say that about you?! Nothing could be further from the truth!"

Diane colored to the very roots of her hair.

The dead stop came so suddenly than her companion nearly walked into her foot, only narrowly catching himself at the last moment. Even so he startled slightly when the giantess dropped to her haunches before him, shyly hiding half her face with a ponytail. The corners of a rose-red blush peeked out around it regardless, and for a fleeting moment, her voice broke.

"Y-You think I'm cute...?"

Naruto looked up.

"Well, those weren't my _exact_ words but-

WHAM!

That was all he managed before a massive, gauntlet-clad fist descended upon his head at the speed of sound. The next he knew he found himself wedged deep into the earth up to his chin, then deeper still as another gauntlet came crashing down into his face. In short order he found himself beaten within an inch of his life; ruthlessly pounded into the ground like a nail driven under by a hammer. A very beautiful, angry hammer. A hammer currently cursing him at the top of her lungs.

"Baka, baka, baka!" Diane wailed! "Naruto no baka! You should give more consideration to a maiden's feelings!"

 _ **"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME FOR CRYING OUT LOUD?!"**_

The giantess froze.

For a fleeting instant there she'd felt...something. A presence, of some sort. Naruto had ruthlessly smothered it moments after speaking, but the giantess experienced it all the same. As if something far greater than herself were looking out at her from within the blond's body, watching her, ready to deflect the next strike. Or worse. Like standing beneath an icy waterfall, so too did she experience an almost primal surge of frigid dread. Gone in the next, instant, leaving her to wonder if she'd even felt it at all.

"Owowowow...

Naruto straightened up, shaking dirt out of his hair. Digging himself free from his earthen coffin, he dusted himself off once more.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I was just kidding, oi...can we just forget that happened?" At the maiden's sullen glare and puffed-out cheeks, a sigh escaped him. "Fine, fine. I'll finish what I was saying before you pounded me into the ground. "You're plenty cute and those knights were idiots. They deserved what they got."

Diane squealed and sprang to her feet!

"Aaaaaand you're forgiven~!"

Naruto hissed softly to himself and followed, feeling the words like a rusty kunai against his heart.

Forgiveness.

He didn't think he'd ever be able to forgive himself.

A rueful smile played across his mouth, eyes intent on the road before them. Had Diane been able to peer into his thoughts she would've realized that said smile was entirely forced and he grinned more for her sake than his. He didn't want her to know just how much it bothered him. The idea that he had this horn, that his temper could so easily eel out of his grasp and run amok...it bothered him more than words could possibly say. But he didn't want to burden others with this information. After all, he was a stranger in a distant land. The last thing he needed was for everyone to think he was some sort of monster.

"So about your horn...

Naruto moved before she could get the rest out, promptly spinning to smack his head against a nearby tree. As expected, the offending horn didn't crack in the least; instead it sundered the mighty oak, roots and all as though it were no more than a mere sapling. Another headbutt upturned the tree entirely, sending it tumbling backwards with a mighty crash. Growling, the blond gave the upturned wood a vicious kick.

"Aargh!" he groaned, tearing at his hair! "I was so close to forgetting about it, too!"

Diane looked on in quiet confusion as Naruto flailed about on the ground, clutching at his head. He'd been doing this on occasion for the last hour now whenever the topic turned to his new "accessory", oft muttering to himself and smacking his head against anything in sight in a vain attempt to get rid of the offending protrusion on his head. It would've been funny if the topic didn't cause him so much obvious distress. He didn't seem to like acknowledging his horn, not at all.

What did that make him?

A demon?

He was awfully nice for a demon, if a tad sad.

Well, she could do something about that!

"Oh, stop sulking, you! C'mere!"

Naruto's head snapped up.

"Wait, wha-ACK!"

Distracted from his maudlin thoughts by Diane's declaration, the blond's protests dissolved into a strangled squawk as a large, gauntlet-clad hand closed around his body and hoisted him into the air with alarming speed. The next thing he knew, he found himself face to face with Diane, who promptly proceeded to nuzzle him into the side of her face, rubbing her much-larger cheek against his. That soon proved the least of Naruto's worries. He'd never been physically glommed by someone several times his height before and Diane easily exceeded his expectations in that category. It was...well, rather strange, all things considered.

"It'll be alright."

Naruto stiffened.

"I-I beg your pardon?"

"I said it'll be alright." Diane repeated, her words soft despite their close proximity to one another, "I don't know where you came from or how you got here, but I can tell you're upset." The truth of her words made him want to bolt, and he would have too, if she weren't gripping him thus. Because he _was_ upset. Not just at himself, but the situation he'd found himself in. He had no memory of the past few days-or weeks for that matter if not more-and it genuinely frightened him. The idea that he could slip at any time and become someone who took _pleasure_ in hurting others and for someone to just tell him that it would be _alright..._

...that was his line, damnit!

"And why is that?" he challenged, gritting his teeth. "You don't know who I am or what I've done. Even I don't."

Diane tilted her head.

"That's simple."

Violet eyes bored into his.

"Because you're not a bad person." she replied simply. "If you were, you wouldn't have bothered to save me."

Naruto felt his heart physically skip a beat.

"Eh?"

Now that he concentrated, he could feel it, a warm, earthen scent enveloping him as she held him tight in her hand, accompanied by a strange softness and a sense of...peace? No, perhaps that wasn't right. Serenity? Despite her overwhelming strength and the knowledge that she could probably crush him to paste if she saw fit, the ninja simply couldn't bring himself to be afraid. The opposite, in fact. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something in him slackened as Diane held him. Though her hair tickled his nose, forcing him to physically hold back a sneeze, he actually found himself _relaxing_ in her grasp.

He couldn't stop blushing, blast it!

"C'mon now, if you just say stuff like that I'll...

 ** _You'll what?_** A nasty little voice purred in the back of his mind, trailing words like ice down his spine as his world went black. _**Fall for her? Because she comforted you? You barely know her. Are you so eager to assuage your guilt that you'll throw yourself at the first willing woman you find? Pitiful. But what can one expect of a fragment like you? You fumble at feelings like some helpless boy and bury yourself to avoid responsibility. Bonds are useless to us, remember? Discard them.**_

Something in him froze.

That hadn't been Kurama's voice.

It wasn't even Kaguya's.

It was...himself?

But he'd never say those words. Never.

Naruto restrained a growl.

 _'Whose a fragment, oi?!'_

 _ **You are, fool.**_ the "voice" snapped back waspishly. ** _You really don't remember anything, do you? Yet you touch my-our-mind, fumbling in your ignorance._**

 _'Who the hell? What are you? Who are you?! What did I do?!'_

 ** _Enough. This exchange is over. We will meet again._**

 _'Answer me, damnit!'_

None answered.

 _'Did I imagine it?'_

He tried to tell himself that he had, but something in him told him he hadn't. The thought chilled him to the bone, but when he looked inside himself he found nothing. Not even the presence of Kurama. His chakra was still very much intact, in fact he was lousy with it, but of the fox himself there was nothing. Only a void. More questions. Not enough answers. His mind scrambled to bury it, flinching away from the very suggestion the "voice" had implied.

And all this while he was being held by a giantess.

Strange indeed.

"You need to stop being so broody," Diane declared loudly, interrupting him. "I like your smile better."

A _good_ kind of strange, Naruto swiftly decided.

Then he felt his already bruised bones begin to crack.

"Hey, Diane!" he croaked! "Not so tight! My ribs! You're crushing my ribs...!"

"Hai~!"

However, rather than merely setting the prolific blond down, she placed him on her shoulder instead. Despite his resolve, the blond found himself sputtering anew as Diane started forward. If she was at all bothered by this new arrangement she wasn't doing much to show it. A part of him almost welcomed the casual gesture, but even so he found himself stricken speechless by the simple audacity of what she'd just done. It wasn't until the tenth step that he finally found some semblance of his voice:

"Oi?!"

"You're hurt." A bright eye turned to regard him sternly. "No more walking for you until you get those wounds tended."

The blond's jaw briefly clicked open.

"Look, I heal really fast so-

 _"No buts!"_

Naruto sighed.

"You know what? Not even going to argue."

Satisfied that she'd won the day, Diane hastened her pace.

At first she hadn't given much thought of returning to her homeland at all; of course she wanted to tell Dolores-her most cherished of friends-that there was someone out there who didn't discriminate against their kind, but in the same vein she was more than a little wary of how Matrona might react to a newcomer in the land of giants. If there was one thing the chieftan respected it was strength. Strength, and little else. Still, once Naruto confessed he really didn't have anywhere else to go and seeing as she herself knew next to nothing about the outside world, it made sense to return and stock up on provisions before setting out.

Just for a little while.

Then they'd leave.

It couldn't hurt.

Right?

Not once did it even _occur_ to Diane to feel sorry for the soldiers that she'd seen him kill. Not a single, solitary second. Why should she be afraid of him for that? They would have more than happy to do the same to her, given the chance. Granted, she wasn't exactly _happy_ about their deaths mind you, but she wasn't about to shed any tears for those nameless men, either. Dead was dead after all and nothing could be done about that, now could it?

As if sensing her very thoughts, the blond flashed her a rueful look.

"So. This "home" of yours." he began, eyeing the mountains in the distance. "I'm guessing it has giants, like you."

"Yup."

"And they're like you? Or are they obsessed with fighting? They're not, right?"

"Ah, well...

"What, do they hate humans or something? Or do you have some beef with them?"

Diane flinched slightly, her silence telling, and the blond groaned.

"Oh, this is going to go _so_ well...

Suddenly, Diane didn't feel so certain about going home after all.

"Um, w-we could turn around, if you want." she offered tentatively, her voice emerging as little more than a squeak. _And go where, you silly little girl?_ her mind instantly rebuked her for her cowardice. The sun was already hanging low in the sky and neither had anything in the way of shelter. If they were to turn around now they'd wind up spending the night outside and while Diane was no stranger to the outdoors, she didn't relish the idea of forcing him to spend a night outside-

"Do you want to?" The object of her affection inquired suddenly, momentarily causing Diane to start. "I mean, its your choice."

She wanted to.

Very much so.

But she wanted to prove Matrona wrong even more.

Perhaps it was childish of her to think so, but she just couldn't help herself. She wanted to leave, yes-and quite possibly bring Dolores with her-but on another level a part of her remained determined to prove to the stubborn chieftan that

"Let's keep going." she decided at last.

"Nice resolve!" grinning, he flashed her a thumb's up. "Onward, then!"

"Oh, you're so cute~!"

 _"Gack!"_

The sun was only just beginning to dip when they finally reached their destination.

Diane's "home" looked as though it had been carved from the earth itself; a massive rectangular block of stone held upright by a number of smaller stones, a great creation that seemed to rise out of the earth itself. He found he could sense a number of large presences within, each of them radiating a strong vitality. The air was fresh and clean and the earth, it felt...pure. Whole. Familiar. As if it were a long lost friend stretching out a hand to welcome him home. Not a bad place for giants to live, all things considered. Sturdy and strong, just like their kind. No, not a bad place, the blond decided to himself.

Not at all.

Diane seemed to physically wilt as they approached, shrinking away from the questioning stares of her kin. Naruto found they weren't directed her, but rather himself. Harsh whispers drifted through the air to reach him as they ventured further inward. Fell whispers of _a horn_ , followed by _demon_ and _what is one of their clan doing here,_ plucked at his ears. Self-conscious of his new accessory though he was, the blond refused to be baited and stubbornly weathered each of the insults in turn, his gaze locked on the well worth path ahead.

"Friendly bunch." he muttered.

"Sorry." Diane murmured, shooting him a regretful glance over her shoulder as she plodded on ahead. "They're old fashioned. You'll like Dolores, though!"

"Dolores?"

Her head bobbed.

"She's a good friend of mine. You'll like her, I think."

"Well, I look forward to meeting her, then!"

As she led him further inward however, he took note of the alarming lack of children among the fur-wearing folk. Of grown men and women there were plenty to be seen, but not a single infant or babe. That was rather ...troubling. He wasn't quite sure why, but the knowledge plucked at him regardless and he felt his anger begin to warp into pity. For a people who lived for war and thrived on strife children likely weren't essential. The thought saddened him immensely and made his heart ache for home.

"Diane, there you are-

The newcomer stopped short at the sight of him.

"Why have you brought an outsider here?" she demanded brusquely.

The brunette fidgeted.

"Um...well...oh, right! This is Naruto! Naruto, this Matrona, the rear Fan of the Earth. I guess you could say she's my teacher, hehehe...

"You still haven't answered my question."

Warily, the far flung ninja managed a nod as he took in this new giantess.

She had violet eyes like Diane, but that was where the resemblance ended. It wasn't just her blond hair or the stern set of her jaw; one could see it simply in the way she held herself. This woman was all rough, jagged edges, a warrior through and through. Though she might wear animal furs to preserve her modest, she did not flaunt her beauty. Nay, she didn't even seem to be aware of it. Here was a being of sheer strength, a pure creature who knew nothing but fighting and strength and demanded respect because of both.

"Dolores is...dead?"

"Indeed, and she has only herself to blame."

Naruto came back to himself all at once, quickly snatching the thread of their conversation. His eyes idly tracked Matrona as she turned her attention to a nearby tanning rack and set to it, paying no mind to the younger girls words. Naruto did. Diane had just said something about Dolores, and from what he'd heard of her they were good friends. For someone to speak so flippantly of her...it made something stir in him. A tooth cracked in his jaw, muscles jumping violently in his right hand.

You didn't speak ill of the dead.

"But how did she...

"She died defending a mining town from bandits." Matrona replied tersely, never once looking at them. "What a pitiful end. She didn't even defend herself."

The blond hissed softly.

Diane was of a similar mind.

"Who...who sent Dolores there?"

At that, Matrona finally looked up from the tanning rack.

"I did, of course." she stated with conviction, "Who else would-

CRUNCH.

Diane's fist thundered forward with blistering speed and barreled into the blonde woman's jaw. Matrona didn't budge. Though her head snapped to the side and a bloody tooth flew free from her mouth still she accepted the blow solidly; an immutable wall which weathered all and felt nothing.

Her hand clenched at her side and she swung up...!

The return blow never landed as something slammed into the back of Matrona's leg, forcing the limb to buckle. Momentarily unbalanced, the woman's strike went wide, but before she could ponder what had thrown off her aim something grabbed her by that injured appendage and pulled. Gravity found itself upended, and so was she, lifted into the air with ease. Violet eyes widened, baffled by this sudden betrayal. She'd never a-once suffered such an indignity, and sense briefly abandoned her.

Then, with a wary cry, Naruto Uzumaki levered her into the earth.

For a fleeting moment Matrona actually lay there, blinking, trying to figure out what had just happened. The impact hadn't so much hurt her body as it had her pride; rattled her unshakable confidence as a warrior. Her sharp eyes saw Diane's wide ones, her arm still half-extended from that awkward punch. She looked just as surprised as the chieftan felt. Surely it couldn't have been the horned one. No man was that strong! So no, it couldn't have been been him, it just couldn't have, because if it was-

"Naruto, what are you doing?!"

Diane's cry merely confirmed it.

"Something that should've been done a long time ago!"

Naruto growled into the dust, shaking sensation back into his hand.

"Fang of the Great Earth, Matrona, huh?" he called into the sudden silence with a voice as cool as glacial ice, "I don't know how you do things here, but I'm pretty sure being a bitch is a no-no. So, why don't we just cool our heads and-

"Stay out of this, outlander!"

Her fist descended mercilessly.

It was a very impressive hit Naruto thought; it slammed into him from the side and rattled him to his very bones. Made him slide backwards, his boots digging great trenches in the earth. It would've made paste out of him had he been his normal self. Even during his fight with Sasuke, he would've been hard-pressed to take such a hit, much less endure it and stand up again afterwards. It was a punch that could level castle, crush mountains, and more. So why was he smiling? But he'd surpassed that level long ago. In the time that it took Matrona to stand he was already healing, broken bones mending, flesh knitting itself back together. And as it did, so too did the beast stir yet again.

Once more, something ugly in him reared its head.

 _No,_ this was wrong, a small part of him hissed. _You'll hurt her! Don't! Don't you dare do it! You stop this right now, take a step back and THINK-_

Quietly, calmly, he slammed the door on reason and started forward.

"Hey."

Matrona bristled.

"Is that it?"

Arm trembling, she jerked her fist back.

"How are you...?!"

"I endured hits from a fuck-mothering-Goddess." Naruto turned his head and spat out a tooth, grimacing as the dislodged molar instantly grew back in is mouth. "Compared to that this is nothing. But since I'm not here to fight you, I'll give you one more chance." clawed fingers crooked outwards as he raised his gaze, beckoning. "I. Am. Sorry. Three little words. You should probably say them now. If you don't, I'm going to hit you. As hard as I can. Not some warm-up jab, not an arbitrary percentage." White eyes like the palest snow took her measure, found her wanting _. "As hard. As. I. Can."_

"And if I refuse?"

He gave her a strange grin then, and something in her shuddered.

 ** _"Then you will know despair."_**

 _'Did his voice change, just now?'_

Matrona glowered, uncertain of what was happening. Of what she was looking at. Of what _the hell_ was going on. Still, never one to back down from a challenge, she straightened, looking the battered man in the eye.

"Apologize to Diane," Naruto repeated quietly, gritting his teeth. "Or I swear to god, I'm going to turn you inside _out."_

With that he stepped in, and Matrona moved to meet him.

 _Then the room imploded._

 **A/N: Did I just do that? I think I did!**

 **SOOOOOOO that bit wit Naruto and Sins will be happening chapter, not this one. To be perfectly honest, I did INTEND to put in here, but then the NarutoxDiane ship reared its head and I ended up devoting most of this chapter to her and Naruto cementing their friendship. I figured he deserved a chance to adjust to things before he got thrown into the proverbial blender.**

 **Didn't want to cram too much in at once, ya know?**

 **Also, I've caught up to the manga and if you're anything like me, you cannot WAIT to see everyone throw down with the Ten Commandments. I can safely say that each and every one of those vile, cruel demons will receive their own, nasty prank/surprise courtesy of our favorite, ramen-loving blond. But what I'm REALLY looking forward to is having him and Galand go at in Camelot, even if that's a ways away.**

 **It'll be one hell of a fight!**

 **And there we are. Should be fun to see what kind of hijinks Naruto gets up to, no? To be clear, this is Naruto in his PRIME. After his last brawl with Sasuke but before "Naruto: the Last" movie and such. Ergo, he's viciously powerful, and not a pushover by any means. He's struggling with a strange affliction however, and trying to very much himself, however, and as such wholly intolerant of those who take pleasure in tormenting the weak, so it ought to be amusing to see where this goes.**

 **As to pairings...hmm...Merlin...Guila...or, lets see...**

 **So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

 **...Review...**

 **...Would You Kindly?**

 **And of course enjoy the previews! What is happening?! Sheer madness, that's what!**

 **(Previews!)**

 _"Stay down."_

 _A bloody grin._

 _"Never."_

* * *

 _Diane stared._

 _"Y-You're big!"_

 _Naruto shrugged._

 _"Well, I can only do something like this with my chakra shroud-OOMPH!"_

 _That was all he got out before the giantess tackled him to the ground._

 **R &R~!**


	3. Sinner

**A/N: REVIEW FOR IT FEEDS THE ENGINE OF CREATION!~!**

 **Sorry about that.**

 **I didn't have any internet for the past few days, which delayed me from updating and responding to you all. Damn storms! I've been hard at work on this, and its good to be back at it again.**

 **As for the delay, well I can explain. I had this all revved up and ready to go, but I lost it!**

 **So lets address that, eh?**

 **Its been some time since the last chapter and DAMN did the manga and anime get ahead. I almost feel bad for King now, having Naruto swoop in and steal Diane from him. Ah, at leas they're happil y together in the manga. Speaking of which, did some more research on Matrona and she's a fucking beast. Also...rather scary all things considered.**

 **But hey, reviews are what keep me writing for you all!**

 **ALL ABOARD THE NARUTOXDIANE SHIP!**

 **...with just a hint of Matrona.**

 **Alright, more than a hint.**

 **I'm back and rearing to go!**

 **Remember, Naruto's barely considered human in this...**

 **...he's also empowered by a literal goddess.**

 **Using her powers corrupts him.**

 **Don't piss him off.**

 **Also, no complaining please. "Oh, look, he updated, now he won't for two more years." Bollocks. Respectfully, bollocks. I had ten thousand words for this chapter but I lost them all when my laptop went down. I busted my ass to get this story up and running again and I WILL be updating again at that. I'm not going to leave you guys and gals hanging for years on end again. That was the old Neon. This is the new one. I've got an update schedule-had one since January-and I aim to see this story through to the end. Now, with that said.**

 **...hope ya enjoy!**

 **Minor bit of verbatim regarding a certain episode here...**

 **...and OH does someone get their comeuppance in this chapter...**

 **...and any God of War comparisons are deliberated and intended of course.**

 **I swear, that game has me in an absolute death grip and it isn't letting go anytime soon...**

 _"No. I am so very tired of people like you in this world. You lot call yourself knights, yet you commit the most despicable acts. And for what? Glory? Fame? All so you can rise above your station? Worm. No, you're less than a worm, and we must be better than this."_

 _~the Sin of Despair._

 **Sinner**

 _What is a sin?_

 _If you asked a scholar they'd call it an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. For example, a sin in the eyes of God. One could even take it a step further. Pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony and of course, lust. They are the Seven Deadly Sins-figuratively and literally-thus one might consider these sordid seven sacraments the very height of corruption. Eight, if one includes the oft-unnamed sin of despair. Yet this isn't true._ _I know the Sins. They're good people. They're not villains._

 _Which then begs the inevitable question._

 _Who deems what a sin is?_

 _Who was it that first set down those nigh-infallible rules of right and wrong? Who decided that humans were oh-so-superior? Who was it that divided morality into the realm of black and white? Into night and day? Who was it that deemed there could never be gray?_ _Who declared that pride for the sake of another is a sin? Who deemed greed ugly?_

 _Was it the gods?_

 _Demons, perhaps?_

 _Or was it humanity?_

 _By that very definition I'm already a..._

 _...Tch. I said it. Such misfortune..._

* * *

 _(...Scene Break...)_

* * *

"Its my victory, then."

Matrona grit her teeth until she felt something crack in her jaw. She struggled with all her might, to no avail; try as she might the giantess couldn't budge the boot crushing down on her head. Indeed, for all her flailing she only made the situation worse and found her face thrust deeper into the dirt. Despite her indomitable strength and peerless mastery over the earth, _despite_ being many times the size of her opponent, she'd lost. Her strength meant nothing in the face of this adversity, couldn't budge him. Even now her right hand ground against his body while he held her left at bay, towering fingers crushing against his seemingly frail frame. It was absurd!

What manner of demon was this?!

How was he this strong?!

"So," a rough voice rumbled in her ear, "Will you listen, now?"

Pain flared in the chieftain's skull, bright and sharp and horribly clear.

Violet eyes craned upward to find searing white eyes glowering at her. Not blue. White. What sorcery was this? No human should possess such strength. None could equal the unassailable might of a giant. Even the fabled Knights of Liones laced such raw physical prowess. Thus is stood to reason that the being who'd bested couldn't be human. Not with that horn. Ah. A member of the Demon Clan, then? Weren't they extinct? Strange as it might sound, the idea of losing to a demon after hours of combat rankled her pride less than that of a human would...but in the end it proved no less galling. She'd never lost a battle before. To have been beaten so badly and by an outsider at that...there was no greater shame.

"Just. Stay. Down."

A bloody scowl.

"Never."

 _"Pity."_

Naruto's body blurred into a streak of liquid gold, striking out at multiple vulnerabilities in unison. Never in the same place twice. Lungs, chest, knees, throat, torso. His attacks shattered what little remained of her defenses, battering into her body with relentless abandon. What little power she mustered was swatted aside like a gnat, spires of earth crumbling again and again until...

...abruptly, they ceased.

"Enough!" he growled. "You're beaten. I'm not going to kick you when you're down."

Scissoring her legs, she lashed out at him, only find the knife point of his hand leveled against her eye.

"You don't understand! This is our way of life! The humans provide us with combat and compensation!" A muscle jumped in her forehead as she fought to raise her gaze, her weary body pushed to its very limits merely by that minute movement. "And we giants provide them with our strength. This is how we coexist. We giants are a proud army. It's our duty to seek out combat. It is our _dream_ to die in combat. Its in our nature to find life in war. That's why you give your best to your opponent. That's the greatest respect you can give to a warrior!"

"And yet you lost to _me_ in the end." the Sin of Despair replied. "What does that say about your vaunted pride?"

When she couldn't muster a response, he took his foot from her head.

In disbelief, Matrona was left to gawp at this act of mercy.

Left to languish amongst the rubble.

"We're leaving, Diane."

"What? Oh, right!"

Exhausted as she was, she could only loo on in mute disbelief as the Horned One turned his back on her and nimbly leaped onto Diane's shoulder. Her fellow giantess had observed the battle in stoic silence-only a fool would interfere in single combat-and now the blond's sudden movement seemed to reactivate the brunette. Startled, she reached up to steady the wayward warrior with a hand. He muttered something unheard and with a nod, her charge turned to depart. Something in Matrona's chest wrenched at the sight. Not just at the thought of Diane leaving, but...!

Her arm stretched out, grasping at the girl's ankle.

 _"Matrona?!"_

"Wait! Kill me!"

Naruto finally stirred.

Weary eyes regarded her.

...no. I don't think I'll be doing that."

"We giants live only on strength and pride! To lose and have my life spared by one such as you would be even more shameful!" When he made no move to reply, she bulled on ahead heedless of his stony expression. "You've bested me before the entire clan, demon! You can't just leave! Finish what you started so that I may have honor in death!"

Blue eyes narrowed at the word "demon" but he made no move to refute her.

"Then find and face me again when you're stronger. If that's all...

Her mind scrambled, seeking a solution.

Indeed, Matrona refused to let it end like this. There could be no closure in such an end. A strange emotion had bloomed in her chest, and for the life of her she couldn't bring herself to understand it. This was not fear, nor was it anger, or even something so petty as spite. The idea of letting the one who'd bested her escape, no more than that...she wanted to face him again.

"Please! We'll be participating in the suppression of savages by the Lioness Knights tomorrow morning. Join us!"

Naruto scoffed.

"And why should we?"

"I wish to determine whether or not this was a fluke with my own eyes." she begged, steadying herself on shaky knees. "Do so and I'll allow you and Diane to depart without contest. I swear on my great ancestor Drole!"

Diane's once staunch resolve wavered.

"Maybe we should hear her out."

The blond blanched.

"I don't think...

* * *

 _(...Scene Break...)_

* * *

Naruto hissed out a low breath.

 _...why did we agree to this, again?"_

"There, there. Just calm down. Relaaaaax."

Diane's hand settled over his horned head with infinite care, her large fingers rubbing his scalp with surprising gentleness and reassurance. The blond's sullen expression didn't waver in the least under her ministrations, yet as the giantess looked on the tension gradually drained out of him, leaking out of his body like a broken sieve. She didn't blame him for pouting; a small part of her felt the same. She'd listen to Matrona on a whim, but even now her heart wavered, wondering if she'd truly made the right decision. Surely nothing would go wrong, right?

...right?

"We've been waiting for you, Fang of the Land, Ms. Matrona!"

Her bright gaze shifted, turning away from the object of her affections towards the one who'd just spoken. In hindsight, he stood out from the sea of shoddily-armed and armored men only by the sheer quality of his armor and nothing more; that weaselly face and beady eyes did little to inspire trust. Even as she gazed upon him, those keen eyes turned searchingly toward her companions.

"And who is that behind you?"

Matrona flinched.

"This is my clan's best fighter, Diane. The other one is a mercenary who...volunteered his services. I can vouch for both of them."

Naruto harrumphed like an old man.

"Vouch, she says! What a bunch of bull-

"How noble of you!" the Knight spread his arms wide in benediction, enthusiastic voice overriding the blond's muttered complaints. "That's reassuring! I am the Holy Knight of the Kingdom of Liones, Gannon! I look forward to working with you."

Upon her shoulder, Naruto stiffened.

"Something stinks."

Diane frowned.

 _"Weh?"_

Matrona's gaze strayed toward the great sea of ballistaes arrayed at their feet; each primed and ready to be fired at a moment's notice. From his perch on her shoulder Naruto leaned forward, sniffing. Whatever scent he found there must've made his nose curl, for his expression darkened even further. Diane shifted uneasily in place. Something felt...wrong about this. Gannon seemed entirely too eager to please, and if Naruto's sour mood was any indication, it might well be a facade. If Matrona was at all concerned by the surprising amount of artillery, however, she did precious little to show it.

"And? Where are the savages?" she posited. "I sense no one."

"It seems they've hidden themselves with the aid of a powerful mage." Gannon admitted with a helpless shrug. "We can't seem to find them."

At this, Naruto finally perked up from his sulking.

"My. That _is_ troublesome."

She knew that voice.

Diane stiffened.

"Oh, no."

In a liquid movement Naruto dropped from her shoulder, cloak fluttering in the breeze of his descent. Alighting in a pointed crouch before the holy knight, the horned blond took three swift steps forward and clamped a hand down upon the man's armored shoulder. A beat of awkward silence passed between the two men, broken only the sound of a distant breeze. Leaning past Gannon's face, the whiskered warrior inhaled deeply. From her towering angle Diane couldn't see the expression her companion made, but it must've terrified Gannon, for the holy knight's visage drained of all color. She knew that look. It was...

...fear.

 _"You reek."_

The knight bristled.

"I...beg your pardon, sir?"

"I said you stink." the hand on his shoulder tightened imperceptibly as the horned blond continued to whisper into his ear, clawed fingers buckling the tempered steel in their grasp. "Of lies, falsehoods and, ah, yes," he inhaled again, "Petty greed. Tell me, why would a "holy knight" have the stench of a liar?"

"How did you-

"I've always been good at reading people. But you," Bright eyes regarded him with a hint of dark humor. "I don't even need the cloak to read you. So? What's your real reason for calling us out here? No, wait. Let me guess-

His gaze shifted toward the ballistas.

 _"Ah."_

"Erm...ah! I hear something from there!" Flailing, Gannon thrust a finger at a distant tree!

Quick as a thought, Matrona spun and flicked two fingers upward in the direction of the distant oak. Not a moment passed before it erupted in a column of earth. Rent it asunder, the might birch found itself uprooted and rent asunder, flung aside as though it weighed no more than a branch. Perhaps this display of strength emboldened Gannon; perhaps he believed he could still pull off his ruse so long as the rest of the party had yet to catch on to his ruse. Whatever the case, he quickly spun about and thrust his arm in another direction.

"Quickly! I hear a voice from over there, now!"

Matrona lunged at the ground even as Naruto spat a warning.

"Oi! Wait a second! The bastard's trying to-

With a startled grunt she staggered as the earth gave way beneath her great leap; even as she made to fling herself away the soil fell away and revealed the gaping pitfall underfoot. Wordlessly she tumbled into it, seemingly helpless to prevent a series of large boulders from tumbling atop her.

"Matrona?!"

A raucous cheer went up.

"Yes, we did it! She fell right for it!"

"You betrayed us?!"

Gannon sneered.

"How did you like my magic power, Hollow Sound?" the knight cackled! "Even a pitiful magic, if you use it the right way, can trounce an enemy of that size. After all, its a far greater achievement to defeat one giant over a thousand petty savages." confident in his scheme, he carelessly flung his arms to the side. "Especially when it it means putting an end to that Berserk Fang of the Land. Now, men! Lets finish off _-bweguh?!"_

Whatever else he might've said withered as a pair of clenched knuckles barreled into the side of his face.

Divested of his arrogance-and more than a few teeth besides-the arrogant knight tumbled across the ground like a skipping stone. Even as he flew an invisible wave of concussive force sailed out to crunch against his stunned facade, tendering his once handsome nose little more than a gaping red tear in his visage. From there momentum seized the day and hurled his battered body into a nearby ballista. The sheer force of the impact splintered the medieval contraption into countless pieces, sending men and timber sprawling alike.

"Where...where did that come from?" he lisped, palming his ruined face. "I didn't see...

 **"No."** a rough voice boomed. **"Your kind never does."**

Reeling upright, he beheld the culprit.

"You...?!"

 **"Me."**

The Horned Man had lowered his hand, fingers still clenched into a fist at his side. Blank pupils regarded him with cold fury, pure as the driven snow, Sharpened canines bared in a wordless snarl. Had his eyes always been white? Gannon wondered about that. There was something decidedly different about his gaze now, as though a switch had been irrevocably flipped somewhere deep inside of him. No words were exchanged. No quarter given. He simply began walking towards them. As one, the closest ballistae leveled on him, only to inexplicably implode upon themselves. An entire line of the weapons vanished in a cone of flame, and the men with them.

 **"Right. Going to murder the rest of you now.** " craning his neck, the blond glanced over his shoulder. **"You okay back there, big girl?"**

...yes."

To his dismay, Gannon found the Fang of the Land had already extricated herself from his brilliant trap. Standing astride a towering spire of earth beside her comrade, the giantess sneered down at him in silent scorn. Utterly unfazed by his deception, she flicked a stray strand of hair out of her eyes and leaped to his side. Eyes like blazing violet amethysts narrowed upon him with the weight of a thousand worlds. The very earth seemed to quiver beneath the force of her landing, trembling before the terror of what was to come.

"You underestimated us, human. We giants can manipulate the very earth itself."

Naruto cracked his neck.

 **"Might wanna close your eyes now, Diane."**

"What?! No! I can fight, too!" the brunette steeled herself.

 **"Thatta girl!"**

Gannon saw the shared look between them, and knew what it meant for him and his men. Death. Now that the trio had grown wise to his scheme their guard would be up; worse, _those two_ seemed keen on wiping the lot of them out in recompense for their temerity. He was no fool. Not one of his men could engage a giant in a contest of raw strength and expect to emerge the victor. Least of all himself. No, if there was to be any chance they needed to rely on those special quarrels and pray for a miracle. If word of what he'd done here reached Liones, he was finished.

If it had come to this, then...!

"D-Damn you! Fire! Fire! _FIRE!"_

To his dismay the giants reacted instantly to both his shrieks and the assault. Pillars of earth rose to intercept the ballista bolts as they launched, one after the other. What little reached them of the initial volley clattered harmlessly against unyielding stone. Still, their defense held strong and with each passing moment the reaper winnowed away at their own forces with ruthless precision. The sounds his men were making back there in the ranks...it curled his very blood in his veins. Damned demon! Damned giants! How dare they put up such a fight! Didn't they know their place?!

"All we need is one hit!" he railed!" Get them!"

 _There!_

 _A stray bolt arced towards the brunette._

Spying it, she braced herself.

"Heavy Metal!"

To his great delight the Fang of the Land intercepted the quarrel with her own body, thrusting an unprotected leg between her student and the bolt. Inwardly, the coward rejoiced. Yes! A direct hit! Had she known about the poison? He supposed it didn't matter now. Her death was all but certain. As he looked on the heavy quarrel bit deep into her thigh and sank into her flesh, where the toxin would no doubt swiftly take root. Already she'd lost her color and began to swayed on her feet.

Almost instantly, she slumped.

"Stupid giants! This poison can take down a dragon." he crowed, unaware of the silent shadow creeping up on him in the fog of battle. "It certainly works fast. Even if it can't pierce a body that's been turned to steel, one small scratch is all it ta-

 **"You talk too much."**

Strong arms locked around his head from behind.

A startled croak leaped from the knight's lips as he bucked against his captor to no avail; his adversary's grasp was iron and he lacked the strength to break free. No! Not like this! He'd been destined for so much more! He was meant to rise above this, to eradicate those filthy creatures! Someone roared at him and his thoughts blurred into agony as two fingers plunged deep into his vision. Half his vision darkened as he found himself divested of his right eye, even as the vice around his windpipe ground away at his life. Already what remained of his vision began to swim; black stars dancing across a pale haze, draining all color from the world.

"Why?!" he croaked out a snarl, struggling against the limb crushing the breath out of him. "Why do you even care?! You could've walked away! They're only...giants!"

A low growl answered him.

 **"And you're only human. A piss-poor one at that. What's the difference?"**

"I can make you rich beyond your wildest dreams!" the Holy Knight hissed, his face purpling, fingers frantically seeking purchase where none was to be found. "If you kill me, you'll turn the entire kingdom against you! It doesn't have to be this way! Just let me go!"

He could fee it now, the bones splintering in his neck.

 **"No. I am so very tired of people like you in this world."** a godless hiss echoed in his ear, sharp and biting. **"You lot call yourself knights, yet you commit the most despicable acts. And for what? Glory? Fame? All so you can rise above your station? Worm. No, you're less than a worm and _we must be better than this."_**

"Curse you!" Feeling the cold brush of death, Gannon at last railed. "You filthy sinner! A thousand curses...upon you! May you never know peace!"

With a sharp wrench, his hands tightened around the knight's head.

 **"If that's my fate then so be it. You won't live to see it!"**

Squealing, the man gave one last desperate struggle.

"No! Don't! Please-

Crunch.

A distant pop filled his ears and he knew no more.

He never saw the rest; didn't feel his corpse flung to the ground. Didn't taste the dirt in his mouth. Didn't see those blazing white eyes round on the remaining knights. Didn't hear their screams. By rights it was a mercy; he'd died a quicker death than he deserved. Within moments he was gone, his final thoughts those of a petty man. At least he'd managed to fell the Fang of the Land. And that horned fool would be hunted to the ends of the earth for this, and his allies with him. He'd be infamous for that, at least...how little he knew.

Thus, he never witnessed the events that transpired after his death.

"No, no, no! Don't you fucking die on me, you hear?!"

"So long as Diane...lives...

"BULLSHIT!"

Kneeling before Matrona's prone form, Naruto found his thoughts in chaos, as did Diane. Perhaps, had they been more aware of their surroundings, they would've made certain to wipe the enemy out. Instead the survivors of Gannon's force were forgotten and thus escaped. They fled for the hills; their comrades left to rest on earth spikes, others impaled upon crude spires of twisted steel and timber, the rest crushed to a bloody pulp. Indeed, the events of this day would be twisted by others, resonate throughout the world, and cement their legacy. But for now neither paid that any mind.

They were focused solely on the dying woman before them.

"Tch. Diane! Hold her still! Do not let go. Understand?"

Blanching, the brunette nodded.

...r-right!"

Without a thought, he ripped the quarrel from Matrona's leg and placed his lips to the wound. As Diane looked on his tan flesh seemed to recoil from the venom, taking on an almost ashen hue. Did he really think he could simply suck the poison out of someone so large? Perhaps sensing this, Matrona bristled and immediately sought to shake him off. For his part the whiskered warrior held fast, pausing just long enough to turn and spit...rather, he made the attempt. Instead he turned and heaved himself, bodily retching.

 _"What are you doing?!"_

"Saving your life, you dolt! Just...give me a second...

"Idiot!" she bucked, throwing him back. "Stop! Don't! You'll die...too!"

"Shut your trap. You don't get to "die" because of some damned death flag." For all her struggles the horned warrior simply brushed the giantess's weak efforts off and set his lips back to the wound. "I've dealt with worse shit than this." Again he turned to spit, only narrowly managing to restrain his gag reflex. "I can do this! I'm not losing another comrade! Do you hear me?!"

"I said...stop!" Matrona pleaded with him, feeling herself weaken by the second. "If you keep at it you'll just go to the grave as well! This serves noth-!"

"AND WHAT'S SO WRONG WITH LAYING DOWN MY LIFE FOR SOMEONE I CARE ABOUT?!"

The ferocity of his reply momentarily stunned the chieftainess.

Tears gathered in her violet eyes.

His response made no sense; no, it baffled the warrior chief to the point of incredulity. They scarcely knew one another; indeed, only yesterday they'd nearly fought to the death. So why? Why go to such lengths for her? If she died then Diane would be free. Why risk his own life for hers? It was inconceivable. Yet...she wanted to live. She was a warrior. Destined to die on the battlefield. But that tiny, unhardened part of her heart still balked at the idea of her life ending. Even now the last of her strength abandoned her, taking with it her resolve and her strength. And yet...

...something awoke within her.

"Uzumaki Naruto...you truly are...an absolute fool...

"Tell me something I don't know, sister! Now, this is going to hurt!"

Snatching up a fallen blade from the battlefield, he inspected it for fractures of any sort. He admittedly knew little of field medicine, but he _did_ remember this much. The poison couldn't be allowed to reach the rest of her body. With a grimace, he raised it high, testing its weight and balance. Diane realized what he intended at once and averted her eyes as he heated the blade with a jutsu. Still, the blond almost hesitated a moment. Wavered. It had to be a clean cut. He couldn't afford anything less. Neither could Matrona. If he botched this she might well perish on the spot or worse, suffer a long, wasting death unworthy of such a warrior.

 _'Like hell I'll fail! Absolutely not!'_

Blue eyes narrowed to slits.

Then he cut down.

 _Hard._

Sheer agony burned Matrona's world white.

It was the worst pain she'd ever known, bar none.

 _For all her resolve, for all her strength, she still screamed._

 **A/N: Ohohohoho! Did I just do that? Whyyy, I think I did!**

 **Poor Naruto. Now he'll wind up looking even more like Kaguya...**

 **Now onto clarifications. Its heavily hinted here that Naruto isn't normal.**

 **He also has an awful drawback to his newfound abilities that he can't control.**

 **Those abilities taint him, make him more ruthless and exacting towards his enemies as a whole.**

 **In short, his very PRESENCE corrupts those who aren't of stout heart and mind. At present, he isn't even aware of it. Prolonged contact with him will, quite literally, drive you mad. Gannon was only around him for a few MINUTES and he was already starting to panic and freak out. Folks like the Seven Deadly Sins and Matrona would be immune of course, seeing how they're stronger than most, and they've got good hearts. Others who aren't that strong, or those with wicked hearts already, well...you'll see.**

 **As to pairings...hmm...Merlin...Guila...or, lets see...**

 **So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

 **...Review...**

 **...Would You Kindly?**

 **And of course enjoy the previews! What is happening?! Sheer madness, that's what! I also realized something. Why follow canon? If I'm going to tell a story about the Seven Deadly Sins and Naruto-two of my favorite animes of all time-then gosh darn it, I want to keep it interesting!**

 **Bombshells coming soon! In no particular order...**

 **(Previews!)**

 _...allow me to travel with you."_

 _Staaaaaare._

 _"What?! Stop looking at me like that! I merely wish to see more of the world!"_

 _"Yes, yes, and here, ladies and gentlemen we have a prime example of a tsundere-_

 _CRUNCH._

 _"Was that stomp really necessary, Matrona?"_

* * *

 _"Hohohohoho! I felt that!"_

 _"Gah?! Just who the hell are you?!"_

 _"You may address me as Lord Escanor, demon."_

 _With that, the blazing light of the sun filled Naruto's vision._

* * *

 _"You're sinners! Both of you!"_

 _"And?"_

 _"By order of the King of Liones, you're under arrest!"_

 _"Oh, that's cute. Try and take us in then, if you're so brave!"_

 _"Urk!"_

 _"Yes! Let me see that terrified expression of yours!"_

* * *

 _"M-M-Monster!"_

 _"Funny. The only monster I see here is you." his hand tightened around their throat, clawed fingers squeezing relentlessly in spite of their frantic attempts to escape. "You tried to plunge everything into despair. That was your sin. From one demon to another...no one will miss you."_

 _Despite their struggle his grip only intensified._

 ** _"Your soul is mine."_**

 **R &R~!**


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